Friday, September 30, 2016

Jack Turner grew up in the darkness of London’s slums, born into a life of crime and willing to do anything to keep his belly full and his siblings safe. Now he uses the tricks and schemes of the underworld to help those who need the kind of assistance only a scoundrel can provide. His distrust of the nobility runs deep and his services do not extend to the gorgeous high-born soldier who personifies everything Jack will never be.

A soldier untarnished by vice

After the chaos of war, Oliver Rivington craves the safe predictability of a gentleman’s life-one that doesn’t include sparring with a ne’er-do-well who flouts the law at every turn. But Jack tempts Oliver like no other man has before. Soon his yearning for the unapologetic criminal is only matched by Jack’s pleasure in watching his genteel polish crumble every time they’re together.

Jack absently skimmed his finger along the surface of his desk, tracing a swirl through the sand he had used to blot his notes. Another case was solved and done with, another gentleman too drunk on his own power and consequence to remember to pay servants and tradesmen, too dissipated to bother being faithful to his wife. Nearly every client’s problems were variations on that same theme. Jack might have been bored if he weren’t so angry.

A knock sounded at the door, a welcome distraction. His sister always knocked, as if she didn’t want to interrupt whatever depravities Jack was conducting on the other side of the door. She did it out of an excess of consideration, but Jack still felt like she was waiting for him to do something unspeakable at any moment.

She was right, of course, but still it grated.

“Come in, Sarah.

“There’s a gentleman here to see you,” she said, packing a world of both disapproval and deference into those few words.

Really, it was a pity she hadn’t been born a man because the world had lost a first rate butler there. The butlers Jack had served under would have been put fairly to shame.

“Tell him to bugger off.” Sarah knew perfectly well he didn’t take gentlemen as clients. He tried to keep any trace of impatience out of his voice, but didn’t think he quite managed it.

“I have customers downstairs and I don’t want a scene.” She had pins jammed into the sleeve of her gown, a sign that she had been interrupted in the middle of a fitting. No wonder her lips were pursed.

“And I don’t want any gentlemen.” Too late, he realized he had set her up for a smart-mouthed response. Now she was going to press her advantage because that’s what older sisters did. But Sarah must have been developing some restraint, or maybe she was only in a hurry, because all she did was raise a single eyebrow as if to say, like hell you don’t.

“I’m not your gatekeeper,” she said a moment later, her tone deceptively mild. But on her last word Jack could hear a trace of that old accent they had both worked so hard to shed. Sarah had to be driven to distraction if she was letting her accent slip.

“Send him up, then,” he conceded. This arrangement of theirs depended on a certain amount of compromise on both sides.

She vanished, her shoes scarcely making any sound on the stairs. A moment later he heard the heavier tread of a man not at all concerned about disturbing the clients below.

This man didn’t bother knocking. He simply sailed through the door Sarah had left ajar as if he had every right in the world to enter whatever place he pleased, at whatever time he wanted.

To hell with that. Jack took his time stacking his cards, pausing a moment to examine one with feigned and hopefully infuriating interest. The gentleman coughed impatiently; Jack mentally awarded himself the first point.

“Yes?” Jack looked up for the first time, as if only now noticing the stranger’s presence. He could see why Sarah had pegged him straight away as a gentleman. Everything about him, from his mahogany walking stick to his snowy white linen, proclaimed his status.

“You’re Jack Turner?”

There was something about his voice—the absurd level of polish, perhaps—that made Jack look more carefully at his visitor’s face.

Could it—it couldn’t be. But it was.

With this being the author's debut novel, I can say that she is one to keep an eye on as The Soldier's Scoundrel was a very solid and attention-getting story. It has two very likable main characters in Jack and Oliver, a good cast of supporting characters, and a strong storyline with a bit of intrigue to keep you interested from start to finish.

I liked the matchup of Jack and Oliver with the bit of class difference as well as personality differences. Things between them develop slowly, with their relationship made more difficult due to the time in history in which the story takes place. That's one thing I always enjoy with historical M/M romance as it adds an element of difficulty to the relationship. The two of them complement each other quite well and make a great match.

The writing was smooth and steady, and the story kept my interest all the way through. I liked the historical accuracy, and things were detailed well to give me a very good picture in my head of everything that was going on. The intimate scenes were well done with the right amount of heat, and were quite sensual and provocative.

This story was a rock-solid 4-star read for me, and I'm really looking forward to reading the next book. It's a great opposites attract tale, and I would highly recommend this to M/M historical romance fans--it really is a very good example of this genre done right!

Author Info

Cat Sebastian lives in a swampy part of the South with her husband, three kids, and two dogs. Before her kids were born, she practiced law and taught high school and college writing. When she isn't reading or writing, she's doing crossword puzzles, bird watching, and wondering where she put her coffee cup.

Mechanic for Hard and Fast, Mike Davis has an intense crush on the parts delivery driver, Blake. For the sake of the business, he keeps his distance, not acting on his wanton desires. What Mike doesn’t realize is Blake is crushing equally as hard on him.

Just as love and life appear to take shape for Mike, his old demons take hold and drag him under, leaving him spiraling out of control.

Will Blake push Mike further into the abyss or will he be the one to finally pull him free?

Randi has spent her entire life writing in one form or another. In fact, if she wasn't writing, she'd likely go completely and utterly insane. Her husband has learned to recognize when the voices are talking in her head and she needs some quality time with an empty Word file (the key to a successful marriage with a writer).

She lives with her husband, daughter, and four-legged children—all of which think they are people too.

A pop-culture junkie, she has been known to have entire conversations in movie quotes and/or song lyrics.

Book #2 in the Evermore Series finds Neely Evans back in Malibu. She's seventeen and under her father and stepmother's care. Not the ideal situation, but Neely knows she has to bide her time and play the game until she goes off to college.

Seth Drake is studying in New York, and Neely is relieved she won't have to face him after the way things ended two years prior. But little does she know a chance encounter on the beach a few months later will rip open scars she thought had healed forever.

Seth Drake's rise to fame soon parts them once again, but he will forever be entwined in Neely's heart and soul, and that fact does not sit well with her. She's determined to live her life recklessly, and in doing so, she puts everything at risk.

SynopsisIt's 1993 in the pristine coastal community of Malibu, CA. Fourteen year-old Neely Evans is coming of age, like it or not. A Tennessee transplant, she ended up in California when her father landed a job at a top law firm.

Neely fills her time painting seascapes, still life art, and combing the beach for her next perfect picture. And then, the boy down the beach enters her life, and she will never be the same.

Seth Drake, a year older than Neely, takes her under his wing. He enjoys hanging with her and they are soon inseparable. As they grow close, their friendship gives way to something more. But before the teens can fully revel in their budding romance, Neely's life is ripped apart. Her father's infidelity is made public, and her mother is determined to seek revenge by using Neely as her weapon. She takes her daughter and moves back to Tennessee.

Months later, when Neely returns for a visit, she finds that Seth has matured in ways she'd never imagined. Neely isn't sure if she's ready to take the next step in their relationship. In the end, Neely makes a decision she may live to regret.

This first installment in the Evermore Series is bittersweet; complete with first love, first heartbreak, a family forever fractured by infidelity, and a teenager that becomes the primary caregiver for her mentally unstable mother. But Neely has strength that sometimes surprises even her. She learns how to cope - any way she can.

She self-publishes Erotic Romance, Menage, Romantic Suspense, and Sensual Romance with a paranormal twist. She also writes New Adult Romance, and has recently collaborated with Author Eva LeNoir on two M/M Romances, with the third in process!

When Killian Barth, history professor, meets Blaine Genneau, quantum physicist, they ignite their own big bang. But Killian can’t pursue a physics professor—or a human. As the most powerful male witch in ten generations, Killian must bolster his dying race by reproducing—despite the fact that he’s gay.

Even a fling with Blaine is out of the question, because Killian has been told sex with humans drains his power. But if that’s true, why can young human Jimmy Janx dissolve spoons with the power of his mind? If Killian can sort through the lies he’s been fed, he’ll still face his biggest obstacle — convincing rational scientist Blaine to believe in magic.

With his ancient and powerful cat familiar, Aloysius, on his shoulder, Killian brings the lightning against deceit and greed to save Blaine from danger and prove love is the greatest power of them all.

The man’s shaggy head cocked. “Sorry to bother you, but I’m new here. Can you tell me how to get to the physics building?”

Physics. Not my best subject. But right now he needed mechanics to keep his c*ck from rising. This man seemed to radiate heat even from several feet away, and it lit a fire in places Killian hardly recognized. Standing there with a rapidly rising hard-on came nowhere near cool. “Uh, I, uh, believe it’s directly across the street from here.”

The guy flashed dimples at Killian. “Damn. You’re not the first to say that. I’m not usually so bad at directions. Can you tell me which street? I’ve already been across a couple of streets.”

“The side street, Templeton.”

“Oh.” The stranger produced a wide smile. “Wouldn’t you know I’d choose every street but that one?” He paused as if he was searching for a new topic. “Quite a group I saw leaving here. What’s your subject?”

“Witchcraft.”

The laugh burst out explosively. “You’re joking?”

Gorgeous, but rude. “Not even slightly. I teach the history of witchcraft, among other things.”

“Sorry. Guess that was impolite.”

“Yes, I guess it was.”

The guy cocked his head and peered at Killian over the tops of the black rims. There was a lot of mischief in that handsome face. “Since I’m on a roll with being insulting, I think I’ll go all the way. I hope you won’t think I’m a stalker, but I stood here and watched while your class filed out. You’re about the most gorgeous thing I’ve ever seen. Is there the slightest chance you’re single—and gay?” He ducked and held up his hands as if to deflect a blow, but he never stopped smiling.

Killian arched an eyebrow. A lot of people assumed he was gay because of his long hair and pretty face, but he never confirmed or denied. “Who wants to know?”

The paragon thrust out a slim hand. “Blaine Genneau. New professor of quantum physics.” He grinned wickedly. “Gay professor of quantum physics.”

Killian took that hand and got a flash of heat straight to his balls. Like lightning streaked through the window into his jeans. Extraordinary. He pulled his hand back. Maybe the lightning loosened his tongue. “Killian Barth, professor of history. Gay professor of history.”

He gazed into those eyes. Deep green like ancient Chinese jade. A carved mouth. Just the type he imagined wrapped around his c*ck in his daydreams. But with one big difference. Killian sighed so deeply, it felt like his heart cracked. Yes, this man was gorgeous. Yes, Killian was gay. In truth, he was dying for a real relationship with a partner who both attracted him and fulfilled him, and if he’d ever been allowed to discover the type of partner he wanted, he knew Blaine Genneau would have fit every parameter—every parameter but one.

He tucked the helmet under his arm. “Good to meet you, Blaine.” He walked past the man and out into the sunshine toward his motorcycle. He couldn’t stay. He couldn’t find out what he’d been missing. Because no matter how perfect this man might be, Killian Barth didn’t do physics professors. In fact, he didn’t do humans. Sex with humans stole his energy and depleted his community, and that wasn’t allowed, because he was the most powerful male witch in ten generations, and he was expected to reproduce.

About the Author

Tara Lain writes the Beautiful Boys of Romance in LGBT erotic romance novels that star her unique, charismatic heroes. Her first novel was published in January of 2011 and she’s now somewhere around book 32. Her best-selling novels have garnered awards for Best Series, Best Contemporary Romance, Best Paranormal Romance, Best Ménage, Best LGBT Romance, Best Gay Characters, and Tara has been named Best Writer of the Year in the LRC Awards. In her other job, Tara owns an advertising and public relations firm. She often does workshops on both author promotion and writing craft. She lives with her soul-mate husband and her soul-mate dog near the sea in California where she sets a lot of her books. Passionate about diversity, justice, and new experiences, Tara says on her tombstone it will say “Yes”!

It should have been simple—a summer spent with his girlfriend Zara at her family’s holiday cottage in Cornwall. Seventeen-year-old Luke Savage jumps at the chance, envisioning endless hours of sunbathing on the private beach and riding the waves on his beloved surfboard. He isn’t interested in love. Though his rugged good looks and lazy charm mean he can have his pick of girls, he has no intention of falling for anyone.

Nothing prepares Luke for his reaction to Theo, the sensitive Oxford undergraduate who is Zara’s cousin and closest friend. All at once, he is plunged along a path of desire and discovery that has him questioning everything he thought he knew about himself. No one, especially Zara, must find out; what he and Theo have is too new, too fragile. But as the deceit spirals beyond their control, people are bound to get hurt, Luke most of all.

Slowly, as though wading through deep sand, I cross the room until I’m standing right behind him. He grips the edge of the worktop.

“Theo?”

Still nothing. Only the convulsive tightening of his fingers shows he even heard me.

“Theo,” my voice cracks, “don’t do this.”

Theo sucks in a breath. When he replies, his tone is even. “Do what?”

“This. Shutting me out.”

“I’m—”

“And don’t say you’re not, because we both know that isn’t true.” I’m aware of my voice rising, and lower it with an effort. “Just…don’t.”

Theo exhales in a long sigh. He turns to me, his expression distant but not unkind. I wish he’d glare at me, shout, whatever. Anything to show he gives a damn.

“Luke, I’m sorry about this morning. It was a mistake. If you got the wrong impression—”

“The wrong impression? You kissed me. What impression was that supposed to give me?”

He casts a nervous glance at the window.

“What’s wrong, Theo? Worried Giles might hear? I don’t blame you. He’d probably make you bathe in disinfectant for a year if he knew you’d kissed scum like me.” Theo starts to protest, but I shake my head. “You know what? Forget it. So sorry I embarrassed you.”

I need to get out of here. Humiliation, hot and clammy, coils like tar through my veins. Still, what did I expect? Theo’s made it perfectly clear how he sees me, that he thinks I’m beneath him. I grab for the nearest glass, intending to pour myself a liver full of whatever’s in that jug, but my hand shakes so much it slips through my fingers. Glass collides with oak in a minor explosion, glittering fragments flying.

“I’m fine.” I turn away from the phony concern in his eyes, fist clenched around the cut to hide it from view. Blood trickles through my fingers and onto my jeans. The pain is almost a relief.

“Let me see.” Theo holds out his hand, but I jerk away.

“I said I’m fine.”

He ignores me. With gentle firmness, he takes hold of my wrist, uncurling my fingers to examine the wound. My body stills. I scarcely breathe. Every nerve ending, every particle of my being is aware of him, the pressure of his fingers on my wrist, his warm palm supporting the back of my hand.

Carra's Review

Caught Inside was a very enjoyable mature young adult/early new adult story that left me wanting to know more about where the characters went from the end of the book on. It's a story about discovering one's sexuality and dealing with that while at the same time navigating a tricky family situation and also coming out.

I really like the main characters of Theo and Luke. Luke seemed very mature for his age, which was a relief considering most books I've read with characters in this age group tend to be a bit annoying in the way they speak and act. Theo is friendly and caring, but is quiet about the reason for the breakup that occurred before he came to the beach house. He and Leo match up well, and my only regret about the story is that we don't get as much time with the two of them together as I'd hoped.

Much of the story takes place with the other characters in the scenes, with the times that Theo and Luke are together being mostly stolen moments that don't last very long. Luke's girlfriend at the start of the story (and Theo's cousin), Zara-while I know some people didn't care for her, she actually acted exactly like you'd expect for a young lady her age with her boyfriend. Theo's best friend Giles was the one who bugged me, I was not thrilled with his attitude when it came to Luke and thought the way he acted and the things he said were rude, sometimes bordering on downright mean. Meredith though was a breath of fresh air, and was probably my favorite character in the story...especially with how she lit into Giles about his treatment of Luke.

The development of Luke and Theo's relationship is slow but satisfying, I just wish we got to see more of it than we did. The story starts off slowly for the first quarter or so of the book, but then picks up a bit once Giles and Meredith arrive. The scenes between Luke and Theo together, while sparse, are sweet with a bit of steam, though for the most part were "fade to black", behind-the-pages when it came to things going further. Tension builds the longer they are together with the hiding they have to do, particularly when it comes to Zara. I did find myself staying up late to finish as I didn't want to wait to find out how things would turn out.

Caught Inside was a solid 4-star read for me, and it has me hoping that we get to see more of Luke and Theo in a future story since this is listed as the first of the series. I'd recommend this story to M/M romance fans who like coming-of-age/coming out stories with a bit of complexity and drama. I'm looking forward to more from this author in the future, especially if we can get more of Luke and Theo. This book is for readers 17+ due to some adult language and light M/M sexual content.

About the author

Jamie lives in a tranquil spot close to the River Thames in Berkshire, England, and has always been just a little out of place—the only redhead in a family of brunettes; an introvert far more at ease with dogs than with people; a connoisseur of simple pleasures in a society intent on the quest for wealth and fame. Despite an outward cynicism, Jamie is a romantic at heart, and, when not immersed in a book, can mostly be found writing emotional stories where young men from all walks of life are thrust headlong into the breathless, euphoric, often painful whirlwind called love.

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